Artist/Maker

Schenk, Peter the Younger

Place Made

Date Made

1720

Medium

ink –paper

Accession Number

5860.22

Description

SUBJECT: An engraved view of the Pocotaligo massacre of April 15, 1715, the start of the Yamasee War. The conflict between British settlers in the Carolina colonies and members of the Yamasee, Creek, Catawba, Cherokee, Waxhaw, and Santee tribes was one of the bloodiest conflicts in American history. The war radically altered the geopolitical landscape between the various native tribes as well as between the British, French, Spanish, and Dutch empires in North America.

Published about 1720, this small engraving is the only near-contemporary image of the conflict. Though the print is based on second-hand descriptions of the conflict rather than first hand observation, it none the less captures the ferocity of the conflict.

It is captioned in Dutch and Latin.

ENGRAVER: Peter Schenk the Younger (1693-1775) was an engraver and publisher like his father, Peter Schenk the Elder (1660-1711). The family is best known for engraving maps and city views. They were active in Leipzig and Amsterdam. This print was engraved and printed in Amsterdam.

Credit Line

Gift of Thomas A. Gray